Vapor or shower bath attachment for bath-tubs.



No. 787,683. PATBNTED APR. 18, 1905.

- H. L. LARZBLERE. VAPOR OR SHOWER BATH ATTACHMENT FOR BATH TUBS.

APPLICATION FILED Disc. so. 1903.

Witnesses.

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UNITED STATES i Patented April 18, 1905;

HERBERT L. LARZELERE, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

VAPOR OR SHOWER BATH ATTACHMENT FOR BATH-TUBS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. '78 7,683, dated. April18, 1905. Application filed December 30, 1903. serial No. 187,182.

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

, Beit known thatLHERBER'rL. LARZELERE,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county ofMonroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Vapor or Shower Bath Attachments for Bath-Tubs, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved vapor or shower bath attachmentfor bath-tubs.

One of the features consists in arranging a curtain-ring so that it willbe freely adjustable both vertically and horizontally and in balancingthe adjustable curtain-ring so that it will remain in any elevation towhich it may be adjusted, thereby dispensing with a supplemental lockingor fastening device and permitting the curtain and its ring to bequickly raised or lowered or swung laterally.

Another feature has reference to an adjustable and extensible bracketfor attaching the hollow standard to the wall.-

Another feature has reference to the arrangement of an enlarged chamberin the hollow standard, which forms a mixing-compartment for the hot andcold water, so that a stream of practically even temperature will issuefrom the shower-head.

Another feature has reference to the improved manner of clamping thelower end of the standard to the bath-tub.

The principal objects of the invention are, to provide an adjustablecurtain-ring which is not locked to the standard, but instead is held inadjusted position by a balancing device and is free to be raised orlowered or swung laterally by proper pressure from the operator toattach the upper end of the standard to the wall by a bracket havingextensible members, so that the standard can be held in verticalposition to arrange for mixing hot and cold water before it reaches theshower-head, and to firmly and rigidly clamp the lower end of thestandard to the bath-tub.

The invention also refers to certain details of construction, referencebeing had-to the accompanying drawings, in which a preferred adaptationof the invention is shown.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved bath-tub attachment, alsoshowing a fragmentary section through a bath-tub to which it is clamped.Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the lower end of the tubularstandard and clamp. Fig. -3 is an enlarged central vertical sectionthrough the lower end of the tubular standard and the clamp. Fig. 4 isan enlarged section throughthe mixingchamber and afragment of thetubular standard. Fig.5 is an enlarged section on line 00a, Fig. 1, afragment of the curtain-ring being shown in a central position in fulllines and moved one side in dotted lines. Fig. 6 is a section-on line I)b, Fig. 8. Fig. 7 is a section on line 0 0, Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is anenlarged fragmentary side view of the tubular standard, the upperbracket, the spring-balance,

and the curtain-ring. Fig. 9 is an enlarged angular substantiallyhorizontally-extending pipe 2 is secured upon the upper end of thestandard 1, and a shower-head 3 is attached to said pipe 2, beingsupported by said pipe approximately vertically above the center of thebath-tub. A circular curtain-ring- L has substantially straight ends,which are sprung into the horizontal diverging sockets 5 of an angularblock or support 6. This block or support has a vertical portion 7,which is provided at each end with aring8, through which the standard 1passes, the rings being separated sufliciently to frictionally bindagainst the standard-surface from the weight of the curtain-ring.

The curtain-ring 4 and its block or support 6 are retained in anyposition to which they may be adjusted by a counterbalancing de vice.

The preferred form of balancing device is shown in the drawings andincludes a springtensioned flexible band, which is connected to theblock 6. This device consists of two cylindrical boxes or cases 9 and10, one smaller than and loosely fitted within the other, a coilspring11, inclosed within the inner box 9, and a band 12 within the outer boxand wound around the inner box 9.

The outer end of the coil-spring is bent to form a hook 13, whichcatches upon an inwardly-projecting lug 14 on the interior of the innerbox 9, and the inner end 15 is fitted through a segmental slot 16 in atubular member 17, which extends centrally from the removable cover orside 18 of the outer box 10.

The cover or side 18 is fastened to the outer box by a screw 19, whichpasses through the interior member 17 and has a nut 20 fitted upon itsprojecting screw-threaded end.

The cover or side 18 is prevented from rotating independently of theouter box 10 under tension of the spring 11 by a segmental projectingflange 21, which fits into a recess in the edge of the box 10 and locksthe cover to said box 10 against rotary movement independent of the box.

The band 12 is wound around the inner box 9, with its inner end fastenedin any wellknown way thereto, and its outer end passed through a slot 22in the outer box and fastened by a screw 23 or other well-known means tothe block 6.

With its construction the curtain-ring and the drapery which issupported therefrom can be raised or lowered by pressing upon thecurtain-ring 4 or the block 6 or swung laterally to either side at anytime, as the ring 1 and block 6 are not locked to the standard 1 and arealways free to be moved by slight pressure.

The outer box 10 is fastened to a lug 24, extending from a split ring25, which is fitted upon the upper end of the standard 1 and securedthereto by a tightening screw or bolt 26.

The box 10 is fastened to the lug 24 by fitting the projecting end 27 ofthe screw or bolt 19 through an opening in the lug, and is preventedfrom turning thereon by a cover projection 28, which fits in a recess inthe face of the ring 25.

Two tubular sockets 29 and 30 project from the split ring 25 atsubstantially or nearly a right angle and are interiorly screw-threaded,and two plates 31, which are adapted to be attached to the wall byscrews or the like, each having a screwbar 32 projecting therefrom,which engages in the screw-threaded opening of one of the tubularsockets.

The split ring is provided with a plurality of extensible supportingmembers, which constitutes an adjustable and extensible bracket andenables the upper end of the standard to be supported at a properdistance to arrange it in vertical position over the edge of thebath-tub. The two diverging members shown in the preferred adaptation ofthe bracket illustrated-in the drawings strengthen the support andholdthe standard rigidly in position when fastened to the wall. Thisprovides a bracket havinga V-shaped bifurcated portion, which is adaptedto be attached to a wall or the like and comprises two extensible anddiverging members.

An enlarged chamber 33 is provided for mixing the hot and cold water, sothat a stream of practically even temperature will flow from theshower-head, which is preferably located in the standard 1, as shown inFig. 1 of the drawings.

The standard is preferably clamped to the edge of the bath-tub by ascrew-clamp.

In the preferred construction shown a hook 3 1, which is shaped to catchover the rim 35 of the tub, (shown in Fig. 1,) has an eye 36, throughwhich the lower end of the standard loosely fits. A socket or cap 37,which is interiorly screw-threaded,screws upon the lower screw-threadedportion of the standard and serves both to close the lower end of thestandard and to engage or clamp against the top of the rim.

A strip of rubber or the like 38 is fastened to the bottom surface ofthe socket 37 and prevents marring or injuring the top surface of thetub-rim.

The hook 34 is drawn up to clamp against the lower surface of the rim bya nut 39 on the screw-threaded portion of the lower end of the standard.

The socket or cap 37 is provided with an interiorly-screw-threaded sideopening 40, in which one end of a water-conducting pipe is screwed.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a device of the class described, a hollowstandard having a shower-head at its upper extremity, a curtain-ringhaving a collar at one side loosely encircling the standard and alwaysunfastened and freely movable thereon whereby said curtain-ring mayslide 10ngitudinally or swing laterally on said standard, a springsupported from the upper portion of said standard and connected to saidcurtain to counterbalance it and drapery supported from thecurtain-ring, substantially as set forth.

2. In a device of the class described, a standard and a curtain-ringloosely mounted on said standard; said counterbalanced curtain-ringbeing always unfastened and freely adjustable on said standard bothlaterally and longitudinally, substantially as set forth.

3. Inadevice of the class described, astandard, loosely -mountedcurtain-ring on said standard and a balancing device including aspring-tensioned flexible band connecting to the curtain-ring.

4. In a device of the class described, a stand? ard and a bracket forsupporting said standard from a wall having a substantially V ITS shapedbifurcated portion composed of two extensible diverging members.

5. In a device of the class described, a standard, and a bracketfor-supporting said standard from a wall including a ring havingattachment to the standard, two diverging interiorly screw threadedsockets extending from said ring and plates adapted to be secured to awall and having two diverging screw-bars engaging in the sockets.

6. In adevice of the class described, astandarcl having its lower endupon the rim of a bath-tub or the like, a hook adapted to catch undersaid rim and having an eye through which the lower end of the standardloosely passes, a nut on the standard for adjusting the hook,substantially as set forth.

7. In a device of the class described, a standard having ascrew-threaded lower end, a hook adapted to catch under the rim of abath-tub or the like and having an eye through which the lower end ofthe standard loosely passes, a socket or cap upon the lower end of thestandard adapted to clamp against the top surface of the said rim, and anut on the standardfor adjusting the hook, substantially as set forth.

8. In a device of the class described, a standard having ascrew-threaded lower end, a hook adapted to catch under the rim of abath-tub or the like and having an eye through which the lower end ofthe standard loosely passes, a socket or cap upon the lower end of thestandard adapted to clamp against the top surface of the said rim andhaving a side opening inwhich one end of a conducting-pipe is adapted tobe fitted.

HERBERT L. LARZELERE.

Witnesses:

EDITH L. Ross, RAYMOND J. SMITH.

